10 Reasons Why Libraries Matter to Kids

LAS CRUCES, NM, March 03, 2013 (Press-News.org) Libraries continue to play a major role in promoting children's literacy. Research shows that libraries are directly related to better reading achievement, and there is consistent evidence that a lot of children get their books from libraries.

It is widely accepted that children who regularly visit libraries from a very early age; have access to a wide range of books; listen to stories; and are read to at home particularly at bedtime have improved literacy skills, says Judith Elkin, emeritus professor of children's literature at the University of Worcester.

According to the Scholastic Kids and Family Reading Report, when asked who give them ideas about what books to read, nearly half of the youngsters (ages 5 to 17) said librarians fill that role.

"America's libraries are key to our children's literacy and our country's primacy," says L.A. Miller, author of the science-fiction and fantasy YA book series Quests of Shadowind, which includes "Sky Shifter," "The Grounding Stone," and "Veil." "Without America's libraries, we are a diminished nation, neglecting our present and especially our future."

Quests of Shadowind is the story of a group of teens who are abducted to an alien world called Shadowind, which is inhabited by ghostly creatures, cyborg animals, and virtual humans—a land where anything is possible, including being downloaded into a cryptic, evil role-playing game. In order to survive, the youths band together as they search for a way back home.

"The sad news is that every year our government keeps cutting library funds and librarians' jobs," says Mr. Miller. "The lack of library funding can create devastating consequences for our society. Reading helps children have productive, employed, successful futures, and libraries and librarians are keys to reading."

According to the American Library Association, 23 states have looked to cut library budgets in the most recent fiscal year.

Mr. Miller cites ten reasons libraries benefit kids. Libraries offer kids a chance to:

* Develop a love for books
* Learn how to read, or improve their ability to read
* Research any topic
* Gain easy access to print or e-books
* Find a safe, friendly environment
* Get expert help from trained, friendly librarians
* Get access to the newest book and media releases
* Try different reading programs and classes
* Interact with their peers
* Meet and see authors, speakers, and entertainers

"Libraries are also a key component of the $25 billion publishing industry," says Mr. Miller. "We should do everything we can to make certain libraries stay healthy for the sake of our kids—and ourselves."

L.A. Miller has been writing for more than forty years. His backgrounds in science fiction, astronomy, technology, and classic literature inform his work, which has included novels, short stories and music. He is the owner of Wood n Nails Music and lives in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with his wife and two dogs. He is the author of the Quests of Shadowind series, which includes "Sky Shifter," "The Grounding Stone," and "Veil."